“We have about a year of runway, and the board wants growth this quarter.”
Run four- to six-week tests on one or two channels, each with a budget cap and a stop rule. Money then follows what brings customers.
This is mineHome / Industries / Startups
Industries · Startups
Digital marketingfor startups
For founders with a product and a number to hit, and only so many months of runway. Every rupee should buy traction you can show.
/ 01 Digital marketing for startups
Traction you can prove.Before the runway runs out.
A startup cannot wait a year for a campaign to pay back, because its runway is only so many months long. As a digital marketing agency for startups, PromotEdge helps founders find the buyers who convert and fix the page those buyers land on.
Then we run small, capped tests and put money only behind what works. Your spend turns into paying customers, and into numbers you can show investors.
Runway is how many months your company can run on the cash it has. So each test gets a budget cap and a stop rule before it starts. Startups digital marketing is a run of small tests, not one big yearly plan.
Investors ask for two numbers. CAC, or customer acquisition cost, is what you spend to win one paying customer. Payback is how many months that customer takes to earn it back. Say you spend ₹6,000 to win a customer who brings ₹1,000 of margin a month. Payback is six months.
A B2B (business-to-business) startup sells to companies, so it needs LinkedIn, search and demos, as on our SaaS and technology page. A D2C (direct-to-consumer) startup sells to shoppers, so it needs ads, creators and repeat orders, as on our D2C and ecommerce page. Fintech and edtech add sector rules. Our digital marketing runs the tests, and our brand strategy sets the one promise to test.
/ 02 What usually gets in the way
What gets in the wayand the way through.
“Our last agency reported reach and followers. Our investors asked for CAC.”
Our report leads with CAC and payback, built from your ad accounts and sign-ups.
This is mine“People visit our website, but almost nobody signs up or books a demo.”
Fix the page first: one promise, one action, proof near the button, a fast load. Each sign-up then goes to a CRM (one place for every enquiry) with an owner.
This is mine“We just raised a round, and we want people to hear about it.”
Plan the announcement with PR (public relations: press coverage) and founder posts. Point readers to a landing page, so attention turns into sign-ups and hires.
This is mine/ 03 Proof
Who we haveworked with.
We haven't yet published a startup case. The nearest work is new brands that had to win trust fast: Alumaze, aluminium panels launched in 2023 (idea, identity, social content), and Nitya, a jewellery house launched in 2022.
Brands we have worked with
“PromotEdge and their team did an excellent job with our website. They engaged with every team member, understanding their needs with great patience before collating them into a user requirement and a design spec. …”
Bimal ShahExecutive Director at Fine Organic Industries Limited“PromotEdge has been working with our organization for social media management and other creative activities. They are responsive, supportive and hard working. We look forward to a long and positive relationship with them.”
Medha SharmaStrategic Head at TATA Metaliks“PromotEdge has been a unique creative group amongst unique creativity world. …”
Rajat ChatterjeeHead Business Development at Birdman Chemeng Pvt Ltd./ 04 Order to start
Test small.Then back what works.
| Step | What we do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Go-to-market plan | Pick the first buyers, one promise, the first channel and the target for each test. | A narrow first market stops you paying to reach everyone. |
| 2. Website and landing pages | A fast site with one clear action a page, and a landing page for each test. | Ads sent to a weak page are wasted. |
| 3. Paid ad tests | Small, capped tests on Google, Meta or LinkedIn. Budget follows what brings paying customers. | They show fast what buyers respond to. |
| 4. SEO and content | Our startups SEO (search engine optimisation) work earns Google visits without a cost per click. We write pages that answer buyers' questions. | Start early. CAC falls as visits build. |
| 5. Social media and PR | Founder posts on a steady plan, creators who match your buyers, and PR at a funding round or launch. | People check that a young company is real. |
Launch events are delivered through PEXORA, a joint venture of PromotEdge and Prodigy.
/ 05 Cost
What affects the cost of startup marketing.
No price list. These things move the number.
We don't publish a price list. After a 30-minute strategist call, a written quote follows within 2 working days. Ad spend is billed at actuals.
What affects the cost
- Your stage. One test on one channel, or four at once.
- Website work. A few landing pages, or a new site.
- Channels, content and tracking. What you run, how much, and how it is measured.
How we quote
- We talk about your product, buyers and runway
- We check your website, ads and numbers, then plan the first 90 days
- A written quote follows within 2 working days, with fee and ad spend separate
What you get in the quote
- The first 90 days, test by test, with dates
- A budget cap and stop rule for each test
- Website, ads, posts and videos, as scoped
- A monthly CAC and payback report
How it is billed
| Way of working | When it fits |
|---|---|
| 90-day test plan | A fixed scope to find which buyers and channels work; we confirm the timeline in the quote |
| Monthly retainer | Ongoing work once a channel proves itself; minimum 3 months, 30 days' notice to stop |
| Ad spend at actuals | Billed as Google, Meta and LinkedIn charge it |
Ask any agency, including us, for each test's stop rule. We can't do magic alone. The more involved you are, the faster you see results.
Every client and project is different. The cost depends on the effort it takes, so we price after the first call.
/ 06 Services
Services forstartups.
All 14 services in one place. Tap one to see how it works.
Digital marketing for startups
One plan reaches your first buyers on search, ads, social and WhatsApp, checked on paying customers.
SEO and AI search
Pages that answer buyers' questions on Google and in AI answers.
GoogleSocial media and creators
Founder posts on a steady plan, and creators who match your buyers.
InstagramLinkedInAI automation for founders
AI drafts answers to common customer questions, and the founder decides what is sent and what changes.
Go-to-market plan
Choose first buyers and one channel to test, with a target for each test.
Buyer and market research
Learn what first buyers say and what rivals promise, before you spend.
All services for startups (8)
Branding basics
A simple look and one clear promise, kept the same everywhere.
Website and landing pages
A fast site with one clear action per page, built for sign-ups and demos.
Google Ads tests
Capped search tests that reach buyers already looking for you.
Google AdsYouTubeMeta ads tests
Capped Facebook and Instagram tests for consumer startups, judged on sign-ups.
FacebookInstagramLinkedIn for B2B
LinkedIn ads and content that reach the companies that buy from you.
LinkedInPR and launch news
Funding and launch news, with a page that turns readers into sign-ups.
Tracking and CAC report
Ads and sign-ups feed one monthly report, so CAC has one source.
GoogleCRM and AI follow-up
Every sign-up gets an owner and a reminder. AI tools send the first reply.
Not sure if the page, one ad channel or the investor report should come first? Let's plan your next quarter together. Plan the quarter
/ 07 AI and automation
Where AI can help Startupstoday.
Real business problems, from sales to back office, each with a plain AI fix. A person stays in charge of every step.
Investors weigh margins and cash efficiency over volume numbers, so start-ups need to show what each paying customer costs and when marketing pays back.
The AI fix A weekly report joins ad, sales and billing data to show customer cost and payback by channel, and AI flags slow ones. The growth head moves budget.
Start-up funding has slowed, and cash runway, the months of cash left, has become a key measure of how long a start-up can last.
The AI fix One weekly dashboard pulls bank, billing and payroll data to show spend, runway and expected collections. AI flags unusual spends and writes a short note. The founder decides.
Source: Business Today (magazine analysis using Tracxn data), April 2026
AI and automation systems WhatsApp automation Chatbots
These show what such tools do. Each card links its source. We do not claim a past project here.
Our beliefWe start with logic and your numbers, not with ideas we happen to like.
/ 08 What's included
Startups,service by service.
Go deeperMore on this
Deeper reading if you want the research behind the plan.
The startup market in depth
Market size and trend
India's government recognised more than 55,200 new startups in FY2025-26, a record, taking the total past 2.23 lakh by 31 March 2026. In calendar 2025, tech startups raised $9.1 billion, up 23%. These are different counts, so do not add them.
Source: Ministry of Commerce and Industry statement, 17 April 2026 (PIB), as reported by Inc42, 18 April 2026. Nasscom and Zinnov, Momentum to Maturity: Indian Tech Start-up Report 2025, 25 February 2026
How buyers decide
Our view: a business buyer asks a peer, checks the founder's LinkedIn, reads reviews, then asks for a demo. A shopper sees a creator's post, then searches the name. Both drop out at a slow page or no reply.
What buyers expect
In their words: "Is this real? Can I try it first? Is my data safe?" Few say it aloud, but they judge you on a fast, human reply and honest limits. Investors ask for CAC (the cost of winning one customer) and payback.
How startups here sell
B2B software sells through demos and founder posts, as on our SaaS page. D2C brands sell to shoppers, as on our D2C page. Fintech and edtech add sector rules. Deep-tech often sells through long pilots. More in our business models guide.
Where it is heading, and AI today and next
Nasscom and Zinnov say India's startups are moving from fast growth to proven results. AI today answers sign-up questions, drafts first replies and builds the weekly CAC sheet. AI next may name tools in its answers, so clear pages matter. AI cannot find your first customers. See our AI systems.
Source: Nasscom and Zinnov, Momentum to Maturity: Indian Tech Start-up Report 2025, 25 February 2026, for the move from volume-led growth to execution-led maturity
People, bodies and stories
Associations and bodies
Startup India: the government portal run by DPIIT, where recognition starts.
Nasscom: India's tech industry body, with a yearly startup report.
IVCA: the apex body for venture and alternate capital.
TiE: a founders' network, begun in 1992, for mentoring and funding.
IAMAI: the body for internet and mobile businesses.
Source: Each body's own website, read 10 October 2026; Nasscom and Zinnov report release, 25 February 2026
People who scaled the category
Nithin Kamath founded Zerodha in 2010 and calls it bootstrapped, meaning built on its own money. In January 2025 Business Today counted over 1.6 crore users and no spend on ads.
Sridhar Vembu co-founded Zoho, which says it has never taken investor money and passed 100 million users in 2023.
Source: Zerodha, About, read 10 October 2026. Business Today, 20 January 2025. Zoho, About us, read 10 October 2026. IntelligentCIO, Zoho reaches 100 million users, 8 September 2023
A brand journey worth knowing: Freshworks
Freshdesk began in Chennai in 2010. Its founder, Girish Mathrubootham, wrote that about $350 to $400 of ads brought over 150 valid beta sign-ups.
In 2017 it became Freshworks to hold several products. It listed on Nasdaq in 2021.
Source: Freshworks, The Freshdesk story: How it started (Girish Mathrubootham, page dated 18 March 2018). FactorDaily, The making of Girish Mathrubootham, 17 April 2017. Freshworks press release, Freshdesk is now Freshworks, 7 June 2017. Inc42, 7 June 2017. Business Today, Freshworks completes billion-dollar IPO, 22 September 2021
What you can do, and how we would deliver
What you can do, and what is not ours
Talk to twenty buyers yourself and keep a simple sign-up sheet. Product, pricing and fundraising talks are yours, and a lawyer or company secretary handles legal papers. Hire in-house when sign-ups need a daily owner. We take the tests, pages and tracking.
How we would deliver, and why each step
First a go-to-market plan, so you pick the first buyers and one channel, not everyone. Then the website, because ads sent to a weak page are wasted. Then capped ad tests with stop rules. SEO and PR run alongside, since CAC falls as visits build. Saurav Agarwal, our Founder and CEO, takes the strategy call, the business review and the budget and return-on-investment logic. Rima Shaw, our Senior Account Manager, is your day-to-day contact and sends the weekly reports.
/ 09 Worth knowing
Worthknowing.
Useful before you start. Open it when you need it.
Checklist, rules, AI for operations, global events (4)
Brand basics checklist
The basics
- Logo and brand guidelinesOne set of logo files and a one-page guide to colours and fonts.
- Domain and business emailyourname.com and name@yourname.com, not a free mail address.
- A website that works on phonesFast, secure, with Call and WhatsApp buttons.
- Google Business ProfileCorrect name, hours, photos and category.
- WhatsApp BusinessCatalogue, quick replies and an away message.
- Social media handlesThe same name on each platform you use.
- Business cardsName, role, phone, email and website.
- Letterhead and invoiceYour legal name, address and tax details, with your logo.
- Company profile or brochureOne document you can send on WhatsApp.
- SignageMatches your logo and your Google listing.
- Photos and short videosReal work, real people, real premises.
For startups
- Company registrationPrivate limited, LLP or registered partnership can apply for DPIIT recognition. Source: startupindia.gov.in.
- DPIIT recognition, if you hold itState it as it is. ASCI wants ads truthful, so never imply government backing.
- Pitch deck and one-pagerProblem, product, traction and ask on slides, plus a one-page summary.
- Product demo videoA short video that shows the product working, for your site and investors.
- Investor-ready website and data room linkTraction on the site. A data room is a private folder of papers for investors.
- Consent notice and privacy policyDPDP Rules, 2025 ask for a clear, separate consent notice. Source: PIB, 17 Nov 2025.
- Sign-up and CAC trackingAds and sign-ups in one sheet, so CAC has one source.
- ASCI-compliant ad claims, for fintech and health startupsASCI has rules on disclaimers and on finance and health influencers. Source: ascionline.in.
Recognition, consent and honest claims.
Build these in early.
DPIIT recognition. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) recognises startups under Startup India: under 10 years old (20 for deep-tech), turnover under ₹200 crore (₹300 crore).
Customer data. Under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, the Rules were notified on 14 November 2025, with 18 months to phase in. Ask for clear, separate consent, and let people withdraw it.
Creator posts. ASCI (the Advertising Standards Council of India) wants creators to label a post 'Ad' or 'Sponsored' when they got money, free products or perks. Make the label easy to see.
Claims. ASCI's code says ads must be truthful. Name the source and date of any research, and who gave an award and when.
Your lawyer or company secretary should confirm eligibility and approve claims. General guidance, not legal advice.
AI for the back office
Start-ups that hold customer data must follow India's data protection rules (DPDP): clear notices, consent and prompt breach alerts, phased in over 18 months.
The AI fix AI scans tools and sheets to list where personal data sits, keeps a consent log and runs a breach checklist. A lawyer approves notices and decides on reporting.
Source: PIB backgrounder 'DPDP Rules, 2025 Notified', 17 November 2025
Global events worth a trip
Web Summit
Lisbon, PortugalUsually November. Next: 9 to 12 November 2026.
Send your startup programme application well ahead of the event, then use the meetups to talk to investors and other founders.
Slush
Helsinki, FinlandUsually November. Next: 18 to 19 November 2026.
Book one-on-one meetings in the meeting tool before you fly, and keep time for the side events and the investor office hours.
TechCrunch Disrupt
San Francisco, USAUsually October.
Watch the Startup Battlefield stage for how early teams pitch, and use the founder and investor lounge to start real conversations.
CES
Las Vegas, USAUsually January.
Look at the media preview two days before the show opens, and plan a live demo for your stand if you exhibit.
GITEX Global
Dubai, UAEUsually December. Next: 7 to 11 December 2026.
Register as a delegate for the expo days, ask about the buyer programme, and book a stand only with a clear goal.
TiEcon
Santa Clara, USAUsually April-May.
Read the tracks and programs early, pick those for startup builders, and make a list of exhibitors and investors to meet.
Short runway, investor questions or a page nobody signs up on? Tell us which, and we'll say what we'd test first. Tell us your stage
/ 10 Events and exhibitions
Events and exhibitionsworth your time.
Where founders, investors and tech teams meet each year. Pick one or two, and plan the stall, the meetings and the follow-up before you book.
Bengaluru Tech Summit
BengaluruUsually November. Next: 17 to 19 November 2026.
Check the startup expo and product launch options early, and use the masterclasses and mentoring to sharpen your pitch.
Startup Mahakumbh
New DelhiUsually April.
Head to the pavilion for your sector, such as AgriTech or FinTech, and use the business meetings and mentoring to find partners.
Global Fintech Fest
MumbaiUsually September.
Download the event app early, bookmark sessions and booths, and plan meetings with founders and investors, since the app also handles check-in.
TechSparks
BengaluruUsually October. Next: 13 to 15 October 2026.
Use the hands-on masterclasses to learn a skill, then spend time in the startup networking zones and the government pavilion.
Huddle Global
KovalamUsually November. Next: 12 to 14 November 2026.
Apply early on the website for Investor Connect or the product expo, as places are selective, and prepare a live demo.
TiEcon Delhi-NCR
New DelhiUsually December. Next: 2 to 3 December 2026.
Prepare a short pitch for the investor 1:1 connects, and ask early about the planned Match Room and Deal Room.
AIBoomi Annual (formerly SaaSBoomi Annual)
ChennaiUsually March.
Arrive with one growth question you cannot answer alone, and put it to the founders and operators you meet in the workshops.
Dates change. Check the organiser's site before you plan.
/ 11 Learn from the leaders
What we can learn from the leadersin Startups.
Well-known Indian brands, each with one plain lesson for an owner in your line of work. Names only, as public examples.
Zerodha
Build something people tell friends about, and track how many customers arrive by referral. Count referrals before you count ad spend.
What they did Business Today (2025) reports Zerodha has not spent on ads, and almost 30% of customers come by referral. Nithin Kamath says ads would have taken much of the profit.
Source: Business Today, January 2025
Zoho
Ask what investor money would ask of you before you take it. Staying self-funded can keep your focus on the customer.
What they did Zoho's About page says it has never taken money from investors, which it says lets it focus on the customer. It also marks reaching 100 million+ users in 2023.
Freshworks
Test demand before you build big. A small ad budget and a sign-up form can show you if people want your idea.
What they did Founder Girish Mathrubootham writes that ads on Google, Facebook and LinkedIn cost around $350-400 in all and brought more than 150 valid signups before launch.
Nykaa
Build a community with useful content first, and treat social media as brand building, not only a sales channel.
What they did Falguni Nayar told Social Samosa (2016) that Nykaa invested in content like social posts and YouTube videos from the start, and that start-ups should build a social community first.
Source: Social Samosa, 2016 (interview with founder Falguni Nayar)
BrowserStack
Win over one small, close group of users first. If they like it, word can spread before you hire any sales staff.
What they did BrowserStack's CFO told Inc42 (2017) that word spread through a very closed community and it grew for a year before investing in sales and marketing.
Source: Inc42, April 2017
These brands are not clients of ours and we use no logos. Each card links its source.
Want a second pair of eyes on your sign-up form and ad claims? Send them over and we'll read them with you. Send on WhatsApp
/ 12 What happens next
What happensafter you ask.
For projects we think we can help, this is how it goes.
- 01
A strategist calls you
In one working day: a 30-minute call with one of our strategists about your business and what is not working.
- 02
You get a 1-page plan
A short, honest plan: what to fix first and what we would do. It is free.
- 03
A quote, if you want one
If you want to go ahead, we send a quote within 2 working days.
We confirm the timeline in the quote. Contracts start at 3 months, with 30 days' notice to stop.
Brands and people are named only as public examples. They are not PromotEdge clients or endorsers unless stated.
Keep exploring
Related pages.
The expertise that fits your business, and the places we work.
Founder with a product and a runway?
Tell us what's not working.We'll show you where the customers are.
Straight answers.
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It covers the work that wins first customers: a clear message, a website that converts, search, social media and paid ads, with tracking that shows what each customer cost. Start with two or three of these, test each properly, and add more only when the first ones work.
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Only once you have a product people can buy and a few paying customers. Before that, talk to twenty buyers yourself. It costs nothing and teaches more than any campaign. An agency can speed up what already works, but it cannot find out for you what customers want.
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No agency suits every startup, and we won't claim to. Ask each one: will you report CAC (what it costs to win a customer) and payback, not reach? What is each test's stop rule? Will our accounts, data and website stay in our name?
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It depends on your stage, channels, content volume and website work. We don't publish a price list. A written quote follows within 2 working days of the first call, with fee and ad spend on separate lines. That lets you see what goes to marketing work and what goes to the ad platforms.
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Paid tests show within weeks which buyers respond. SEO takes 3 to 6 months, but keeps paying back. We agree what 'working' means before each test and confirm the timeline in the quote. A test that fails fast is still useful, because it tells you where not to spend.
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Consumer buyers find you on Instagram and through creators, and every paid or gifted post must be labelled. For B2B, the founder's LinkedIn usually beats a company page. Pick one platform where your buyers already are. See our social media marketing page for how we plan it.
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No. Recognition only decides whether you can apply for startup benefits, such as the income tax exemption. It doesn't affect advertising. If an ad mentions recognition, keep it accurate and don't suggest the government backs your product. Ask your CA or lawyer how the rules apply to you.
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Yes. Our servicing team is based in cities across India. Most work runs online, with daily calls and WhatsApp. We meet you in your city at least once every three months. If you are in Bengaluru or another city, tell us where you are and we will plan the visits. See our Bengaluru page.